Stem-making machine



March 18, 1924. 1,4863% N. WISE STEM MAKING MACHINE Filed Nov. 17 1921 and State of New arranged Patented Mar. 18, 19 24.

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NATH N w'IsE, or MOUNT VERNON, new YORK.

STEM-MAKING MACHINE.

Application filed November 17, 1921. Serial No. 515,827.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NATHAN VVIsE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Mount Vernon, county of Westchester,

York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stem- Making Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric lamp and other stem making machines and has for its primary object the provision of a machine of this type in which the various co-operating elements thereof are so constructed and as to make, possible eflicient production of an improved type of stem so formed asto provide at one end thereof a plurality of radially disposed lobes through which the filament leads or other conductors pass in such a. manner as to so distribute the stresses set up therein due to the contrac-' tion or expansion of the conductors or the surrounding portion of the stem as to eliminate undue'breakage during the process of manufacture or after the lamp is putinto use.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a machine of the above mentioned character a means whereby certain desirable adjustments of various elements thereof may be made to meet varying conditions under which the machine may be required to operate.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a central vertical sectional view of the device, certain elements thereof eing shown in elevation.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an elevation of a removable conductor wire retaining and supporting ead.

Figure 5 head.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional viewplate 31 adapted to be vertically adjusted by taken on line 66 of Figure 4:.

Figure 7 is a transverse sectional View 7 taken on line 7-7 of Figure 4.

Figure 8 is a view, more or less diagrammatic, showing the relative position of several elements prior to their being united to orm a lamp stem.

Figure 9 is a view snnilar to that ofFlgis a plan view of the removable ure 8 in which shown as having been united to form the stem.

The device embodying my invention comprises a tubular base 10 having atable-like flange 11 formed thereon and provided with a vertically extending guide 12 which is centrally bored to provide therein a chamber 13 adapted to receive certain elements of the device hereintafter more particularly referred to. The upper end of the guide 12 is formed with a head 14 having radially extending notches 15 formed therein, which are equally spaced from each other and adapted to receive the angularly disposed feet 16 of arcuate shape lobe forming elements 17 pivotally connected to the head 14 by means of pins 18 passed through the angularly disposed feet 16 as clearly shown in Figure 2. The lobe forming elements 17 are at their free or contact ends provided with angularly disposed faces 19 which are prevented from contacting with each other by means of screws 20 which may be adjusted to limit the inward movement of the lobe forming arms 17 and thereby vary the thickness of the lobes which are formed upon the stem by the action of the lobe forming elements 17 upon the tubular element hereinafter referred to. Grooves or slots 21 are provided in the lobe forming elements 17 relatively near their pivotal ends to receive the upper ends of actuating links 22, the links 22 being connected at their lower ends to radially disposed screw threaded lugs 23 which operate ,Within longitudinally disposed slots 24: and are connected to the end of a reciprocatthe several elements are ing plunger 25 which is arranged within the chamber 13 and extends downwardly through an elongated bearing or sleeve 26 held with in the base 10 by means of a screw indicated by the numeral 27.

To the upper face of the head 14 there is connected as by means of a screw 28, a bearing plate 29 through which a pair of verti cally arranged gripper operating shafts 30 extend, these shafts being passed also through the flange 11 and journaled to a 35 may be effectively held in axial align upon by the crimping or lobe forming arms 17 as willhereinafter more clearly appear.

To enable the operator to easily manipulate the gripping elements 33,'I provide apair of operating arms36 which are secured to the shafts 30 and normally urged apart by means of a coiled spring 37 carried by pins 38 suitably connected to the arms 36. .In order that the shafts 30 may be rotated through equal ares when the operating arms 36 are moved against the influence of the spring 37, I provide a pair of gear segments 39 which are secured to the upper face of the gripping elements 33 and at all times maintained in engagement with each other. The vertical adjustment of the shafts 3O afforded by the thumb screw 32 enables me to so position the gripping elements as to accommodate various lengths of tubular glass elements 35, but should this adjustment in any case be insuflicient, I am enabled to further adjust or change the position of the gripping elements 33 upon the shafts 30 by reason of the fact that they are slidably mounted thereupon and are adapted to be held in a given position by means of set screws 40 which may be run down into engagement With the shafts 30 as will be readily appreciated from Figure 1.

lVithin the vertically disposed guide 12 at the upper end thereof, there is arranged a conductor wire supporting head 41 which comprises an elongated element 42 having a central passage 43 adapted to receive a filament support 44, the element 42 being provided with longitudinally disposed grooves 45, extending substantially throughout the length of the same, carrying inserts 46 which are tapered outwardly at their upper ends, as shown in Figure 4, and spaced an appreciable distance from the bottom of the grooves 45 to permit the insertion of conductor wires 47 adapted to be retained in a spaced relation about the axis of the flare or tubularelement 35. Upon the reduced end 48 of the element 42 there is arranged a vertically adjustable conductor wire supporting element 49, having radially disposed pins 50 carried thereby which project into the grooves 45 and serve, not only to prevent rotation of the adjustable support 49 with respect to the reduced portion 48. but also as a means for supporting the conductor wires 47 when they are inserted into the grooves 45. In order to secure the supporting ring 49 in any desired position upon the reduced portion 48, I provide a set screw 51 which is carried by the ring and adapted to engage the reduced portion 48 asmay be readily .understood from Figure 2. By providing an adjustable head 41 I am enabled to so position the same as to insure a proper position of the tubular member 35 with respect to the crimping or lobe forming arms 17 when said arms are moved into engagement therewith to form the radially disposed lobes 52 at the proper location upon the finished stem. In order to retain the head 41 in any desired position within the chamber 13, I provide a set screw 53 which is carried by the vertically disposed portion 12 and adapted to be run down radially into firm engagement with the head 42 as clearly shown in F igure 2.

In operation a plurality of the devices embodying my invention, and hereinbefore described, are mounted upon the usual rotatable table which. enables the operator to successively insert the flares or tubular glass members the filament supports 44, and the several conductor wires 47, the flares 35 being gripped by the gripping elements 33 to retain the same in position, whereas the conductor wires 47 are supported by the supporting ring 49 and are retained in a spaced rlation about the axis of the tubular element 35 by reason of the fact that they are carried within the grooves 45. As the table is rotated, the device embodying my invention are independently rotated in the usual manner and are carried successively through a plurality of flame jets which play against the ends of the tubular elements. Upon a sufficient softening of the glass to permit the same to be readily distorted, the operator, by suitable mechanism not shown. actuates the reciprocating plunger 25 cansing the crimping arms to move radially toward the axis of the tubular element 35, whereupon the softened glass at the end thereof is acted upon by the crimping arms to produce the radially disposed lobes 52 within which the conductor wires 47 are simultaneously embedded and to which the end of the filament support 44 is united. After the last. mentioned step in the course of manufacture of each article. the operator removes the finished product from the machine.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a machine for making from a tubular glass body a stem having a plurality of lobes formed thereon at airaiigle with respect to each other, a plurality of lobe forming arms adapted to operate within intersecting planes, and means for forcing the ends of said arms into contact with the glass body to produce a radially impinging effect thereupon whereby the glass body is distorted to produce a plurality of radially disposed lobes.

2. In a machine for making from a tubular glass body a stem having a plurality of conductor carrying lobes formed thereon at an angle with respect to each other, a plurality of lobeformmg members adapted to operate within planes intersecting each other within the boundary of the glass body and to move radially toward the axis of the glass body, said lobe forming members being provided with angularly disposed faces, and means for moving said lobe forming members toward'the axis of said body to produce thereupon a radially impinging effect whereby the glass body is distorted and shaped to form between the faces of said member a plurality of radially disposed lobes, a

3. In a mach1ne for making from a tubular glass body a stem having a plurality of lobes formed thereon at an angle with respect to each other and carrying conductor wires, means for supporting a tubular glass body, means for supporting agplurality of conductor wires in an arouately spaced relation within said body and about the axis thereof, and means operating in difi'erent planes intersecting each other within the confines of said body for forcing inwardly portions of the glass body intermediate said wires whereby lobes are formed surrounding said wires.

4. In" a machine for making from a tubular body a stem having a plurality of lobes formed thereon at an angle with respect to each other, means for supporting a tubular body, a plurality of lobe forming arms arranged in planes intersecting each other on the axis of said body, said arms being adapted to be moved radially toward the axisiof said tubular body and provided with angularly disposed faces, means for actuating said arms whereby the ends thereof are moved radially toward the axis of said tubular body to produce radially disposed lobes thereupon, and means for limiting the movement of said arms toward the axis of said body.

5. In a machine for making from a tubular body a stem having radially disposed lobes at an angle with respect to each other and carrying conductor wires, means for holding the tubular body in position to be acted upon, means .for retaining a plurality of conductor wires in a spaced relation about the axis of said body, and means operating I movable lobe forming arms arranged in in difi'erent intersecting planes for acting radially upon said body intermediate said wires to depress said body at various points whereby a plurality of. lobes are formed about said wires.

6. In a machine for making from a tubular body a stem having a plurality of radially projecting conductor wire carrying lobes formed thereon at aniangle with re -b spect to each other, a plurality of radially planes intersecting each other on the axis of said body, means for holding a tubular body in position to' be acted upon by saidarms, means for retaining a plurality of con ductor wires in a spaced relation about the axis of said body, adjustable means for sup porting said wires, and means for forcing the, ends of said arms radially toward the axis of said bod to. form about said wires radially dispose lobes.

7. In a machine for making from a tubular lass body a stem having a plurality of con uctor carrying lobes, means for supporting a tubular body adapted to receive a plurality of conductor wires, a vertically disposed element having a chamber formed therein, a wire supporting head having grooves formed therein, inserts carried within said grooves and spaced from the bottoms thereof to provide passages adapted to receive said conductor wires, a plurality of radially movable lobe forming arms, and means for moving said arms radially inwardly upon said tubular body to distort the end thereof whereby radially disposed lobes are formed surrounding said wires.

8. In a machine for making from a tubular glass body a stem having a plurality of conductor carrying lobes formed thereon, means for supporting a tubular glass body adapted to receive a plurality of conductor wires, a wire supporting head having grooves formed therein, inserts carried within said grooves, said inserts being spaced from the bottoms of said grooves to provide passages adapted to receive said wires, a plurality of radially movable lobe forming elements, and means foractuating said elements whereby the ends thereoi are moved radially toward the axis of said tubular body to impinge the same- 10. In a machine for making from a tubular glass body a stem having a plurality of conductor carrying lobes formed thereon, means for supporting a tubular glass body adapted to receive a plurality of conductor wires, a wire supporting head having grooves formed thereon, inserts carried within said grooves, said inserts being spaced from the ottoms of said grooves to provide passages adapted to receive said wires, and adjustable rings carried by said head, said rings being adapted to support said wires.

In a machine for making from a tubular body a stem having a plurality of lobes formed thereon at an angle with respect to each other, means for supporting a tubular body, a plurality of lobe forming arms arranged in difi'erent intersecting planes and adapted to be moved radially toward the axis of said tubular body, and

the tubular body, heating the tubular body,

and subjecting the heated body to forces directed toward the axis of the tubular body, the forces being directed in different intersecting planes to produce a plurality of radially. extending lobes surrounding said conductors and lying in different intersecting planes.

13. The method of manufacturing from a tubular glass body a stem having a plurality of conductor carrying lobes formed 7 thereon which consists in arranging a plurality of conductor Wires about the axis of the tubular body, heatlng one end of the tubular body, and forcing the heated ma terial radially inwardly at points lying in different intersecting planes to produce radially extending lobes surrounding said conductors.

14. The processof manufacturing from a tubular glass body a stem having a plurality of conductor carrying lobes formed thereon and a filamentv support connected thereto which consists in arranging a plurality of conductor Wires in a spaced relation about the axis of the tubular body to be acted upon, so placing a filament support with respect to the tubular body that one end of the support projects slightly into said tubular body, heating said tubular body to soften the same, and forcing said body radi ally inwardly at points about the axis thereof lying in different intersecting planes to unite the body with said support and produce a plurality of radially disposed lobes surrounding said Wires.

In testimony whereof, I have aflixed my signature to this specification.

NATHAN \VI SE. 

